Metro network redesign meeting, LORC, project updates, events and announcements

Hello neighbors,

There will be a Metro Network Redesign community meeting TOMORROW, February 24 at 6pm. I want to stress how important it is for anyone who rides the bus – or would do so if it were more convenient – to engage in this process. There are multiple service changes proposed for our area, which are easiest to review via the draft interactive map. The PDFs show service at noon, which isn't the most illustrative for those who tend to ride during morning and evening rush hours. However, the static document quite clearly illustrates the areas of change. There will be a specific meeting for our side of the City on March 22.

The next meeting of the Landmarks Ordinance Review Committee is March 2 at 5:30pm. Thank you to everyone who provided comments in our public meetings introducing the changes – you will continue to have opportunities to voice your questions and comments as the process continues.

Local project updates:

• 2206-2208 University Ave (Don the Car Care Man site) has been approved for demolition and rebuild as an affordable housing complex. Construction will begin this spring.
• Smoky's restaurant will be demolished, in preparation for a mixed use housing development on the same site. Construction at this site will also begin this spring.
• The planned sidewalk update and bus staging project for the relocation of Capital High to the Hoyt School building will be considered at the Board of Public Works at 4:30pm on March 2.
  • Please note that City foresters surveyed the trees in the area, and identified four that need to be removed due to poor health – they are marked with a yellow dot. Forestry will also be pruning trees in the area when they remove these.

Events & announcements:

• Madison Public Library's first Library Takeover event is scheduled for Saturday, February 26, and will showcase Thrival Tools. The team organizing the event has invited both local and regional indigenous speakers representing the Ho-Chunk Nation, Ojibwe, Chicana and Yup'ik tribes to share some of the tools native peoples have relied on to not just survive, but thrive during winter.
• The Madison Food Policy Council is encouraging community groups to apply for SEED Grants. Application deadline: February 28, 5:00pm.
• The Big Share is coming up on March 1. The Big Share is a fun, easy and flexible way to donate to and learn more about organizations making a difference in our community. The Big Share is hosted by Community Shares of Wisconsin (CSW) for 70 local nonprofits dedicated to building an equitable and just community and protecting our environment.
• The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison is soliciting submissions from artists for its 2022 sculpture exhibition on the William T. Evjue Rooftop Gardens and Olin Terrace. Deadline: March 1.
• The Madison Arts Commission annual grants of up to $3,000 to support art projects are due March 15.
• Madison has joined the Safety First Challenge, announced by the National League of Cities. Participation with the challenge aligns with Madison's current Vision Zero initiative mission to make safety on our roadways a priority, regardless of your chosen mode of transport.
• The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Main Street Bounceback Grant provides $10,000 to new or existing businesses and non-profit organizations moving into vacant properties in Wisconsin's downtowns and commercial corridors. Funds are still available! Funds can be used to pay leases or mortgages, operational expenses and other business costs related to the newly opened location.
• Smart Growth Greater Madison has released a White Paper on the impacts of Common Council decisions on housing in Madison.

Be well,

Regina Vidaver